Wrapping machine



Dec. 8, 1942. I M TH ETAL 2,304,428

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed may 12, 1941 e Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Dec. 8,1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WRAPPING MACHINE Elmer Lovell Smith,Longmeadow, and flariton Wetsel, Springfield, Mash, asslgnors to PackageMachinery Comp ny 3 trlngiielrl, Man, a cor- This invention relates towrapping machines, and has particular utility in machines for wrappingarticles of slightly irregular shape such as candy bars. One object ofthe invention is to improve the folding devices so that a better control of the folds will be had. A further object is to provide animproved type of folding box which may be replaced readily toaccommodate articles of diflering size. A further object is to improvethe manner of feeding an article into the machine and in particularthemanner of transferring it from the initial feeding conveyor to theplunger or elevator which associates it with the wrapper and assists inperforming the initial wrapping operation. A further object is toprovide an improved gluing device for applying glue or other adhesive tothe inner side of the final bottom fold. Additional objects will appearfrom the following description and claims.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. l is a longitudinal median section of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof taken substantially on line 22 ofFig. 1 but with certain parts in different operative positions;

Fig. 3 is a section on line H of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is atop plan view of the elevator;

Fig.6 is a detail plan of thefolding box, taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a perspective detail of th support for the fold former;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan of an adhesive applying device;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation thereof;

Figs. 10 and 11 are successive details showing the manner in which theincoming article is transferred from the feed conveyor to the elevator;

Fig. 12 is a detail showing the formation of the initial folds inthe-wrapper;

Fig. 13 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 12 but showing a later stage;

Fig. 15is a similar view showing a still later position of the elevator;r

Fig. 16 is a side elevation with the parts in the position of-Fig. 15; r

Fig. 1'7 is a similar view, showing the elevator receding and thesupport of the article as having been taken over by theside tuckers; thewrapper having been omitted for clearness;

Fig. 18 is an end view, and Fig. 19 is a plan,

with the parts in the positions of Fig. 1'1;

10 (laimt. (Cl. 93-2) Fig. 20 is a view similar to Fig. 1'1, showing theaction of the rear bottom folder;

Fig. 21 is a plan, and Fig. 22 is a side elevation,

showing the initiation of the discharge of the article from the foldingbox;

Fig. 23 is a side elevation showing a further stage in the discharge ofthe article;

which are Journaled sprockets 22 driven continuously by any desiredmechanism. Around these sprockets and other idle sprockets at thefeeding end of the machine run chains 23 hearing spaced lugs 24 in frontof which the articles a are placed manually or by any suitable'feedingmeans. The chains are supported underneath by guides 25 and at theirsides by plates 26. The articles are carried along in front of the lugson rails 21 (Fig. 10), which extend a short distance beyond the pointwhere the chains pass around the sprockets 22. Reciprocating verticallyin front of therails 21 is an elevator 28 mounted as will be describedbelow.

In prior machines it has been customary either to drive the pushing lugsintermittently so that they came to rest with an article positioned on 7top of the elevator, or to employ special tilting pushers to deposit thearticle on the elevator and then withdraw so that they would notinterfere with its further movement. In the present instance anarrangement is employed which increases-both the speed of operation andthe accuracy with which the article is positioned onthe elevator. Thismechanism comprises a pair of supplementary pusher fingers 30 which arereciprocated toward and away from the elevator and at the same time areraised and lowered so that they may pass rearwardly underneath anarticle being advanced by the lugs, come up behind the article as inFig. 10, and move forwardly at a faster ratethan the lugsto carry thearticle away from the lugs and deposit it upon the elevator (Fig. 11).

The pushing fingers are detachably mounted as at. 3| (Fig; 1) on amember 32 pivoted at 33 to a bell crank 34 and at 35 to a link 36 itselfpivoted to a second bell crank 31. Bell crank 14 carries a roll 38running in contact with a cam on a cam shaft 39, and serves to move thefingers forward and back; while bell crank 31 carries a roll running incontact with a second cam on the shaft and serves to move the fingersvertically by elevating or lowering the pivot 35 with respect to thepivot 33. The fingers are by this means moved through an endless path ofthe nature indicated at 4| (Figs. 1 and 10).

The head of the elevator 28 is formed as a detachable cap L-shaped invertical and U- shaped in horizontal section and is replaceably held bya screw 46 to the integral upper end of a slide 41 the intermediate partof which is divided to form a pair of spaced square rods 48. The slidereciprocates vertically in guides 49 and has a bracket 50 attached toone side of its intermediate part. A link 5| connects this bracket to alever 52 oscilliated periodically by any desired cam mechanism. I

Reciprocable with the elevator during a portion of its upward movement,and movable independently during the rest of the cycle, is a fold formerhead 5| having fold forming wings 52 adapted to extend upwardly at thesidesof the elevator. The former head 5| is recessed at 53 to receivethe rods 48, and a member 54 is fastened to it by screws 55; The lattermember is recessed to receive the upper end of a. round rod 55, pinnedin place at 5'7. The round rod extends downwardly between the rods 48,and at its lower end is shouldered to fit into a block 58 (Fig. 4.)where it is pinned in place at 59. Block 58 is screwed at 60 to anoperating member 5| grooved to permit it to slide upon one of the squarerods, and pinned at 62 (of. Figs. 1 and 2) to a link 63 coupled to arocker 64 having on one arm a cam roll 65 engaging a cam on shaft 30. Bythis means the fold forming wings may be 'moved vertically in timedrelation to the elevator as will be more particularly described below.

As the article is raised by the elevator it passes between guides 68,above which it picks up a wrapper w delivered in place by any suitablemeans not necessary to describe here. Above the wrapper slot 59 arefolders 10 which drape the wrapper in U form down the front and rear ofthe article, and above these are opposed end folders H which turn downthe ends of the wrapper asin Fig. 12, leaving outstanding front and rearflaps at each end. These flaps are folded in overlapped relation by plowfolders 12 and 13, so that when the partially wrapped article isdelivered to the final folding station it has a complete downwardlyextending skirt.

During this entire action the fold forming wings 52' extend upwardlybeyond the ends of the article, their operating cam being so shaped asto cause them to move upwardly synchronously with the elevator and withtheir upper edges about on the level of the top of the'article (Figs. 12and 13). The end folds are thus made over these wings and areindependent of variations of contour in the article itself, which may beconsiderable in the case of an article such as a candy bar. As soon asthe article is received against the top plate 15 of the folding box,however, the fold forming wings retract (Fig. 15) leaving the skirtunsupported and only the relatively narrow elevator holding the article.

The side walls I6 of the folding box are fitted with slots 11, throughwhich bottom end tucking plates 18 may pass to turn against the bottomof the ends of the article (Figs. 18 and 19). This motion of the tuckersis permitted by the fact that the elevator 20 is of less width than thearticle, so that the plates may move underneath the article a sumcientdistance to make the folds without interference. Support of the articleis now assumed by the tucking plates I3, which also hold all thepreviously made folds in position, and the elevator can recede (Fig. 17,in which the wrapper has been omitted to show the relatio of the variousfolding members).

The tucking plates 18 aredetachably secured as by bolts 30 (Fig. 2) toslides 8| movable on rods '82 held in brackets 83. The upper end of theslides are held between guide members 84 to maintain the folders alwayshorizontal. Links 85 join the slides to rockers 86 mounted on shafts 81journaled in the brackets 83. One of the rockers is connected by a crosslink 88 to an extension 89 on the other, and one shaft 81 has anarm 90joined by a link 9| with a forked member 92 embracing the shaft 39 andhaving a roll 93 engaging a cam 94 thereon. The tuckers will thus bedriven simultaneously and in opposite directions in timed relation tothe other mechanism.

After the end bottom tucks" have been made by plates 73, the rear bottomfold is turned under the article by a folding plate 97 removably securedat 98 to a carriage 99 slidable in ways i00 formed in the frame. Thecarriage is connected by a link l0! to a bell crank I02 pivoted at I03and bearing a cam roll l04 running against a cam on a shaft I05 suitablydriven in timed relation with shaft 33. The folder 91 moves underneaththe article while the tuckers J8 are still in position (Fig. 20) and notuntil the tucks are covered by the rear bottom fold and the support ofthe article has been taken over by the rear folder do the plates 18withdraw.

At the time when this shift of support occurs the article is pushedforwardly off from the folder 9'! (which at that time starts itsretracting movement as in Figs. 22 and 23) by a forked pusher I01detachably secured at I08 to a rod I09 slidable in bearings H0, A memberI (Figs. 1 and 2) is clamped to the rod and has a lateral extension 2engaging a guide H3 to keep the pusher against tilting sideways. A link4 couples the member III with a bell crank H5 pivoted on shaft I03 andhaving a roll H6 engaging a cam on shaft I05, so that the pusher will bedriven in timed relation to the other elements.

In order to make firm contact with the lower rear edge of the article,and prevent the wrapper from becoming loose, the forked ends of thepusher run in shallow grooves ll!v (Fig. 2) formed in the rear bottomfolder. The reciprocation of the pusher carries the article well intothe delivery channel H8, where it is taken by upper and lower deliverybelts H9. It should be noted that the upper plate 15 is preferablyprovided with a depending reargulde I20 slotted to permit the forkedpusher to pass, and that it has an elevated surface l2i joined with theupper surface I22 of the delivery channel by a slanting section I23.This gives room for the tuckers 18 to lie over the rear bottom folder 9!and at the same time prevents looseness when the article is finallypushed over the folder 9! into the delivery channel.

In some instances it is desirable to have the the article the portion ofthe wrapper skirt at 75 folds secured by adhesive, and for this reason anovel gluing device has been provided to appl a daub of adhesive to theinner surface of the final bottom fold I Just before the article isejected-into the delivery channel. This device is shown in Figs. 1, 8,.9, and24. It comprises a plate-like dauber I25 adapted to receive glueor other adhesive on its end and to pass through a hole I26 in the sideofthe vertical folding channel (Fig.' 22) into contact with the flap.

The plate I25 is carried on a bracket I21 secured to a rod I28 slidingin bearings I29 in a sub-frame I30. This'sub-frame has adetachable'bridge I3I slidable toward and from the vertical wrapping channel bysliding upon rails I32 se curedto the main frame, and can be clamped inany adjusted position by a bolt I33. This permits the maximum forwardposition of the dauber I to be changed to correspond to different sizesof articles.

The rod I28 which carries the dauber is provided with a member I35clamped to it and having a lateral guide I36 engaged between spacedrails I31, thus maintaining the dauber against angular displacement. Alink I38 couples the member I35 to the'lower end of a bent arm I39secured as by a clamp screw I40 to a sleeve I4I (Fig. 2). rotatingfreely on the shaft I03. An

4 arm I42 secured to this sleeve is provided with I unclamped from thesleeve I4'I, being clamped again in position when the gluing device hasbeen adjusted. l

The dauber has a slightly narrowed end I41, best shown in Fig. 8, whichrests against the rear side of aglue transfer roll I48 when the dauberis in the inactive position of Fig. 9. This 'roll runs in contact with asupply roll I49 journaled on a glue box I50 and dipping into it toreceive glue and carry it to the transfer roll as the supply roll isrotated intermittently by mechanism to be described. The glue box isheld in position on the sub-frame by a clamp screw I5I so that it may beremoved for cleaning. The

transfer roll I48 is not mounted directly on the glue box,- but uponrockers I52 pivoted coaxially with the supply roll. Springs I53 give tothese rockers a tendency to'rotate counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 9.As the dauber moves forwardly it pushes on the transfer roll and forcesthe arms to tilt against the springs. 'As the roll rocks the dauberpasses over its surface until lateral abutments I54 on the dauber engagerolls I55 placed at each end of thetransfer roll. Ultimately the sidesof the dauber ride over these rolls I55, which are of slightly largerdiameter than the transfer ro1l, and hold the bottom face of the dauberout of contact with the adhesive coated surface of the latter. When thedauber 'is extended into the position of Figs. 22' and 24 it deposits astripe of glue on the inner surface of the flap I, which is the lastunfolded flap extending down the wrapping channel; and when the dauberagain retracts the transfer roll springs up in front of it to apply afresh supply of glue.

The supply roll I49 is periodically rotated to convey adhesive to thetransfer roll by a ratchet I51 located on one end of the supply roll andengaged by a pawl I58 carried by a rocker I52 is coupled by a link I60with an arm I6I pivoted at I62 and also bearing a roll I63 held inengagement with a cam plate I64 on the bracket I21 by means of a springI65. As the dauber moves back and forth the cam roll I63 will be raisedand lowered to cause intermittent rotation of the suppl roll (cf. Figs.9and 24). The supply and transfer rolls. are preferably connected bygearing I66 (Fig. 8).

In order to facilitate adjustment of the machine for different sizes ofarticles the entire folding box, including the vertical and horizontal Iwrapping channels, is carried by a bracket I68 (Figs. 1, 2, and 6) heldto the main frame by.

clamp screws I69 over which slots in the bracket may fit. Other slots,one horizontal and the other vertical, are formed in lugs I10 projectingupwardly from the box and receive cross pieces III on the top plate I5.This top plate can thus be disengaged and removed at any time to permitaccess to articles without removing the entire folding box. If it isdesired to remove the entire gluing assembly, a detachable connectionbetween the arm I39 and the link I 38 is preferably provided asindicated in Fig, 25. The

, arm has a latch I14 pivoted to it at I15 and pintle may be removed tofree the gluing device I from connection with the driving mechanism.When the gluing device is thus removed it may be adjusted for varyinglengths of the flap f by I interchanging the spacer I19 located betweenthe sub-frame I30 and the bridge I3I.

When the proper spacer has been put in place the subframe is clampedto'the bridge by a screw 'I80 (Figs. 1 and 9).

What we claim is:

1. A wrapping machine comprising an elevator for raising an article anda wrapper, folding means for draping the wrapper about the article intoa four-sided depending skirt as the article is raised by the elevator,reciprocable blades movable oppositely underneath the article to foldopposed portions of the skirt and to assume support of the article asthe elevator reand provided with a leaf spring I59. The rocker cedes, arear folder movable underneath the article and blades while the latterare supporting the article to fold one outstandingflap over the blades,means for withdrawing the blades from the folds, a delivery channel, andmeans for pushing the article off the rear folder and into the deliverychannel to make the last fold.

2. A wrapping machine comprising an elevator for raising an article anda wrapper, folding means for draping the wrapper about the article intoa four-sided depending skirt as the article is raised-by the elevator,fold forming plates extending beyond each end of the article and movablewith the elevator during the action of said folding means, reciprocableblades movable oppositely underneath the article to fold opposedportions of the skirt and to assume support of the article as theelevator recedes, a rear folder movable underneath the article andblades while the latter are supporting the article to fold oneoutstanding flap over the blades, means for withdrawing the blades fromthe folds, a defor raising an article and a wrapper, stationary foldersfor draping the wrapper down into U form at the front and rear of thearticle, end tuckei's and plow folders operable during the ascent of thearticle to fold the wrapper at each end of the article into overlappingfolds, whereby the wrapper is draped into a skirt extending below thearticle, fold forming plates extending beyond each end of the articleand movable with the elevator during the action of said folders andtuckers with the leading end of said fold forming plates substantiallyin line with the top of the article and retracting out of said skirt,reciprocable blades movable oppositely underneath the ends of thearticle to make folds in the end portions of the skirt and to assumesupport of the article as the elevator recedes, a rear folder movableunderneath the article and blades: while the latter are supporting thearticle to fold one outstanding flap over the blades, means forwithdrawing the blades from the folds, a delivery channel, and means forpushing the article off the rear folder and into the delivery channel tomake the last fold.

'4. A wrapping machine comprising a vertical channel, folding means inthe channel, an elevator reciprocable through the channel and having aloading station, a continuously movable conveyor forwarding articles toa point adjacent said loading station, and a pusher having asubsiantially parallel movement in a closed path to move an article fromsaid conveyor onto the elevator and to return out of the line ofmovement of the next advancing article.

5. A wrapping machine comprising a vertical channel, folding means inthe channel, an elevator movable through the channel, an elevatorcarrier including a vertical slide having its upper portion formed asparallel rods, means for reciprocating the carrier, a fold formercarrier slidable on the parallel rods and having a pair of fold formingblades extending beyond the ends of the elevator, a rod extending fromthe fold former carrier between said parallel rods, and means forreciprocating the latter rod relative to said parallel rods. I

6. A wrapping machine comprising a wrapping channel, means forforwarding an article through the channel, folders in the channel fordraping the wrapper around the article into skirt form extending behindthe article,'means for folding against the article the portion of theskirt at one side thereof, and adhesive applying mechanism comprising adauber movable across the channel from the side thereof adjacent thelast named side of the article into contact with the inner surface ofthe opposite flap.

7. A wrapping machine comprising a vertical wrapping channel, anelevator for raising an article and a wrapper therethrough, folders inthe channel for draping the wrapper around the article.

8. A wrapping machine comprising a vertical wrapping channel, anelevator for raising an article and a wrapper therethrough, folders inthe channel for draping the wrapper around the article into a dependingskirt, end tuckers movable oppositely to form opposed folds in the twosides of the skirt, a rear folder movable from the third side of thearticle underneath the end tuckers to form a rear bottom fold, a gluedauber movable underneath the rear folder into contact with the flapdepending from the fourth side of the article, means for withdrawing theend tuckers, and means for ejecting the article from the channel to foldthe adhesive coated flap against the flaps previously folded against thebottom of the article, said delivery channel having a top plateconverging towards the floor thereof an amount substantially equal tothe thickness of the reciprocable blades.

9. A wrapping machine having a frame, a pair of article forwardingplungers movable on the frame at right angles to another, operatingmeans for said plungers to reciprocate them in timed relation, anangular wrapping channel through the branches of which the plungersreciprocate, stationary folding members associated with the channels,reciprocatory folding members movable on the frame into the channelsadjacent their junction, and means for removing the angular channel fromthe frame as a unit.

10. A wrapping machine havinga frame, a pair of article forwardingplungers movable on the frame at right angles one to another, operatingmeans for said plungers to reciprocate them in timed relation,detachable connections between the plungers and their operating means,an angular wrapping channel through the branches of which the plungersreciprocate, stationary folding members associated with the channels,reciprocatory folding members movable on the frame into the channelsadjacent their junction operating means for said reciprocatory foldingmembers, detachable connections between the reciprocatory foldingmembers and their operating means, and means for removing the angularchannel from the frame as a unit.

